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Calling all the Pregnant PS''ers

Amber, I also make lots of smoothies at home, and although they''re good, Jamba Juice is so much yummier. We don''t have any nearby, so I''ve been missing out for a while. They certainly have a lot of good vitamins, but many of the smoothies also have more sugar than I''m comfortable with. I use lowfat yogurt, enriched soymilk, frozen berries, fresh bananas, and apple juice. But I''d love to know what the recipe is, more or less, so I can hone my smoothie skills!
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I just made the switch to a different hospital because I haven''t been feeling very happy with my experience at the clinic. I still have to meet with them one more time, but hopefully the other OB and NP will be nicer. There is one doctor in the area who attends 90% of her deliveries, but there''s a 5-person waiting list for February. I wish I had known about her earlier considering I got my BFP 11 DPO.
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After hearing about DD''s wonderful visit with her midwife, I decided that I need to be more proactive about obtaining the care that I want. I just wish things weren''t so ''businesslike'' at my clinic...
 
Date: 8/1/2008 11:46:14 AM
Author: erica k
I just made the switch to a different hospital because I haven''t been feeling very happy with my experience at the clinic. I still have to meet with them one more time, but hopefully the other OB and NP will be nicer. There is one doctor in the area who attends 90% of her deliveries, but there''s a 5-person waiting list for February. I wish I had known about her earlier considering I got my BFP 11 DPO.
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After hearing about DD''s wonderful visit with her midwife, I decided that I need to be more proactive about obtaining the care that I want. I just wish things weren''t so ''businesslike'' at my clinic...
Erika, it is probably worht looking for someone you trust more, even though it is a hassel. In the end, feeling comfotable and supported is so important and so it is worth the effort. Good luck, and keep us posted! I''m sure you will find someone you love.
 
Okay guys, I''ll start a new thread with Jamba smoothie recipes, just tell me in the thread which ones you like. I''ll start it off with the basic ones that I can remember!
 
dreamer, have a wonderful time on your vacation and enjoy the yummy food! Where is your home town?

erica , good luck finding a new doctor. I think it''s important to have a good doctor you feel comfortable with.

jas, thinking of you and the boys.


I cannot believe it''s AUGUST already!
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Our two year anniversary is coming up in a few weeks and our baby boy will be here in about 2.5 months! Where has time gone?
 
Just a quick Jackie check in. She''s hanging in there and the boys are staying put --for the moment--but she was having contractions ever 1-2 minutes and one of the munchkins had an irregular heartbeat. Jackie also said she''s having a bad hair day. I imagine I''d be having a bad hair day too if I were in her shoes!
 
Date: 8/1/2008 2:23:11 PM
Author: Dee*Jay
Just a quick Jackie check in. She''s hanging in there and the boys are staying put --for the moment--but she was having contractions ever 1-2 minutes and one of the munchkins had an irregular heartbeat. Jackie also said she''s having a bad hair day. I imagine I''d be having a bad hair day too if I were in her shoes!

LOL. That girl is a riot. Always. Please tell her we are all rooting for her and the boys!!!
 
Date: 8/1/2008 2:25:43 PM
Author: neatfreak

Date: 8/1/2008 2:23:11 PM
Author: Dee*Jay
Just a quick Jackie check in. She''s hanging in there and the boys are staying put --for the moment--but she was having contractions ever 1-2 minutes and one of the munchkins had an irregular heartbeat. Jackie also said she''s having a bad hair day. I imagine I''d be having a bad hair day too if I were in her shoes!

LOL. That girl is a riot. Always. Please tell her we are all rooting for her and the boys!!!
Thanks for the update Dee!

Good to see you back Miss Neat!
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Deejay, thanks for the update! I''m glad she''s hangin'' in there.

Erica, I agree with DD that finding someone you trust and feel comfy with is really important. Supposing there''s a complication? Is it easy to move around with your insurance?

SNLEE, happy anniversary!

and... Amber, you are a Jamba Angel. I don''t own a blender, but I may well buy one with our still ample Bloomingdales credits.
 
Thanks Indy!

Thanks DeeJay for the update! I''m glad to hear the boys are staying put for the moment. Bad hair day. LOL I am glad she still has her sense of humor! Please let Jackie know we are thinking of her and the boys.
 
Did y''all know that Twizzlers have 1 gram of protein per serving? Given my sky-high protein requirements, I feel it''s only right that I eat another one. It''s for the babies, you know.
 
Jackie, you''re in my thoughts. I''ll pulling for you and your babies!!!
 
Date: 8/1/2008 2:48:29 PM
Author: Independent Gal
Did y''all know that Twizzlers have 1 gram of protein per serving? Given my sky-high protein requirements, I feel it''s only right that I eat another one. It''s for the babies, you know.

Twizzlers--it''s not only right, it''s your DUTY to eat them. I think they''re best consumed at a movie theater, so you better go and sit in a darkened air conditioned room where it''s even harder to monitor your food intake
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Bad news about teaching, though. I just talked to the program coordinator, and they won''t let me take two weeks off after the delivery. This tutorial was a dream of mine. I worked so hard to design the course last spring. I knew I would want a child soon, but apparently the class is a one-shot deal that I''m going to miss out on because of bad family planning. My school has a really awful parental leave policy. Grad students are allowed to ''stop the clock'' for maternity leave, but this only matters in your department, not at the Registrar''s office. I asked the financial aid office if I could take a semester off, then finish that G-year in the fall by teaching my beloved tutorial. I would then ask to begin my dissertation finishing fellowship in February 2010 when I am beginning my final ''year'' according to the department, not the Registrar. Unfortunately, since the Registrar doesn''t recognize maternity ''leave'' as such, they will not make an exception to their rule of refusing to allow students to split their final year of funding over two academic years. This is beyond unfair for mothers and families, especially since I''m not asking for more money than would be given anyway. All I''m asking for is an opportunity to both further my career and spend time with my baby and dissertation.

Indy, and you thought parental leave and health insurance were bad in the US. It''s much much worse for grad students, who are basically considered third class citizens. You should see how they treat us as teaching assistants.
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So, it''ll be great for the baby to have his/her (hopefully) breastfeeding mama around most of the time. I''ll be able to write more since my mom will be there to help out for three months, but man oh man, I don''t understand why it has to be so darn difficult due to bureaucratic myopia!


Anyway, I''m glad to hear that Jackie/Jas still has her sense of humor
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. I could definitely use some right about now! It really is all about attitude, and I am going to try my best to look on the positive side of things. You can''t change the past, etc., etc. I need to go home and have a good cry. At least we''re going to Maine on Saturday. I''ll drown my self-pity in a heavily buttered lobster tail!
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Erica

I am so sorry to hear that your school is treating you so poorly! Unfortunately I think it's the school and not necessarily the system in general that is unfair...I was expecting the worst with my school, but they've been rather helpful. It is very very unfortunate that it varies so much by school though.

Basically, I have 2 months roughly of paid vacation and sick time saved up from my research assistantship (which is my funding source, but TA's have the same thing), which I can use all at once starting whenever I want (they only require that I let them know the date if possible, but since I can't it can start the day I deliver if I want). After that I can take up to an additional 12 weeks of unpaid leave through FMLA technically. As long as I am not gone the whole semester, I just register as preparing for my prelim/dissertator status, take the required 2 credits, and call it a day. It would get *much* more complicated if I actually wanted to leave for the semester, including losing my income all semester. So I won't be doing that.

It's a bit more complicated than that due to tuition remission (I have to be employed at least 1/3 time the whole semester, so since I am usually a 1/2 time employee I can only take up to 1.75 months of unpaid leave or else I lose my tuition remission), but that is the basic gist of it. I also keep my insurance as long as I don't lose the tuition remission. So essentially it does allow me to prolong my funding when I stop the clock for my FMLA leave.


Aren't you covered under FMLA as a university employee? You should look into that. While it wouldn't be ideal, it would provide you some protection.
 
Erica, girl, you have got to fight this!! That is ludicrous. Crazy. Some universities have councils on women''s affairs, and perhaps yours does. Basically, find out what your rights are and fight for them. Of course you have to do it carefully because of your delicate situation as a grad student, but if you are strategic, you should be able to win without ruffling too many feathers in your department... Is it your department or the grad school or the college that''s F''ing you over? That''s the first thing to figure out. If it''s the college or the grad school, you don''t have to worry so much about ruffling feathers. If it''s your dept., you have to tread more carefully. I bet there''s a way out of this with some good strategic thinking.

It''s not like your university needs more exposure with respect to womens'' issues these days.
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Their track record being stellar in that regard over the last few years (teehee).

Anyway, if worse comes to worst, you can tell them you don''t plan to take the two weeks after all, and then just get a friend to fill in for you for those two weeks. Don''t ask, don''t tell. Geez. I''ll go up there and fill in for you for those two weeks!! Oh yeah, except for the two bundles of joy I''ll be sporting too, by that time.

Neatfreak, because of certain issues surrounding unionization, I''m pretty sure that Erica will not count as an employee at her university. This was a hotly contested issue in the early part of this decade, and one which, so far, the universities have won before the NLRB. So my guess is that she won''t have traction along those lines, but there may be another way.... NF, are you at a public or private university?
 
Date: 8/1/2008 5:46:34 PM
Author: Independent Gal
Erica, girl, you have got to fight this!! That is ludicrous. Crazy. Some universities have councils on women''s affairs, and perhaps yours does. Basically, find out what your rights are and fight for them. Of course you have to do it carefully because of your delicate situation as a grad student, but if you are strategic, you should be able to win without ruffling too many feathers in your department... Is it your department or the grad school or the college that''s F''ing you over? That''s the first thing to figure out. If it''s the college or the grad school, you don''t have to worry so much about ruffling feathers. If it''s your dept., you have to tread more carefully. I bet there''s a way out of this with some good strategic thinking.


It''s not like your university needs more exposure with respect to womens'' issues these days.
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Their track record being stellar in that regard over the last few years (teehee).


Anyway, if worse comes to worst, you can tell them you don''t plan to take the two weeks after all, and then just get a friend to fill in for you for those two weeks. Don''t ask, don''t tell. Geez. I''ll go up there and fill in for you for those two weeks!! Oh yeah, except for the two bundles of joy I''ll be sporting too, by that time.


Neatfreak, because of certain issues surrounding unionization, I''m pretty sure that Erica will not count as an employee at her university. This was a hotly contested issue in the early part of this decade, and one which, so far, the universities have won before the NLRB. So my guess is that she won''t have traction along those lines, but there may be another way.... NF, are you at a public or private university?


Public. And that certainly may make the difference because we are unionized (crappily, but it gets us some things!).
 
NF, my school is awful with parental leave considering its peers offer continued health insurance at the very least. They are working on a more equitable family leave, but at the rate they''re going with pretty much everything policy-wise, I''ll be long gone before it changes.

It''s amazing that you have paid vacation and sick leave in your research assistantship! The humanities are not known for being very generous with their funding, unfortunately, especially in my field. I''m still shocked that they only provide 5 years of health insurance when pretty much everyone in my field takes at least 6, if not 8, years to finish. The bambino''s health insurance will be pretty expensive, but at least we won''t have to worry about daycare just yet.

I am eligible for either FMLA or my state''s version of it since I have accumulated the minimum require hours of employment as a teaching assistant, but unfortunately that won''t do much to further my case about requesting that my finishing fellowship be split between two years. I''m pretty sure a fellowship is not considered ''employment'', but I will ask the financial aid officer when I meet with him on Monday. Ugh. I''m so disappointed with my school, but I guess I knew what I was getting myself into when I started researching their policy last winter. I just didn''t know that I would end up pregnant at a most inconvenient time.

Anyway, with twins, I''m really glad that you''ll have a more flexible work-family balance. I wish my school would try and be progressive for once!
 
That''s what I thought. The private schools, as you may know, have been fighting unionization of grad students tooth and nail. As a grad student, I was persuaded that unionization would be a disaster for us (though that doesn''t mean I don''t support unions for those whose interests are best served that way!), and under the circumstances at the time, I still think that''s true. But it''s still crumby to hear about a case like Erica''s.

Erica, I did some googling and there''s a women''s center that might be able to help you. It seems to be attached to the college, but you don''t want the actual center anyway, what you want is the savvy (presumably) lady who directs it. Here''s what I would advise: Send her an e-mail. Tell her there''s an issue you''d like some confidential advice on. Don''t tell her what it is in your e-mail. Then go see her, and ask her what she advises, and what strategic resources may be available to you. I suggest talking to her, because even though it''s a college org, she probably knows all the key players and resources, and can point you in the right direction. Just an idea...
 
Date: 8/1/2008 5:53:19 PM
Author: erica k
NF, my school is awful with parental leave considering its peers offer continued health insurance at the very least. They are working on a more equitable family leave, but at the rate they're going with pretty much everything policy-wise, I'll be long gone before it changes.


It's amazing that you have paid vacation and sick leave in your research assistantship! The humanities are not known for being very generous with their funding, unfortunately, especially in my field. I'm still shocked that they only provide 5 years of health insurance when pretty much everyone in my field takes at least 6, if not 8, years to finish. The bambino's health insurance will be pretty expensive, but at least we won't have to worry about daycare just yet.


I am eligible for either FMLA or my state's version of it since I have accumulated the minimum require hours of employment as a teaching assistant, but unfortunately that won't do much to further my case about requesting that my finishing fellowship be split between two years. I'm pretty sure a fellowship is not considered 'employment', but I will ask the financial aid officer when I meet with him on Monday. Ugh. I'm so disappointed with my school, but I guess I knew what I was getting myself into when I started researching their policy last winter. I just didn't know that I would end up pregnant at a most inconvenient time.


Anyway, with twins, I'm really glad that you'll have a more flexible work-family balance. I wish my school would try and be progressive for once!

I cannot believe you have restricted time with health insurance, etc. That really sucks. I am in the humanities too, but I guess in this case being at a public school is a major benefit. Basically I have health insurance, a stipend, etc. for as long as it takes, as long as I can get a faculty member/department to "hire" me to teach or do research.

We ARE very lucky because DH is a grad student too, so we would be up S Creek without a paddle if the school didn't seem somewhat amenable to working things out for me...it isn't an ideal situation, but it's much better than yours.
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We'll be rooting for you!!!
 
erica, I'm sorry to hear the bad news. That is horrible! I agree you should fight it. Good luck. I hope you can find a better resolution. Have a wonderful time in Maine tomorrow. Buttered lobster tail! YUM!

NF, how was your trip? Hope your MIL didn't drive you too crazy. Any pictures to share?
 
Indy, I''ve just contacted the Student-Parents Organization to see what they know about ''exceptions'' to the rule. I''ll try the Women''s Center, too, that''s a great suggestion.

NF, it''s shocking to think that a school with the resources it has refuses to bend even a tiny bit for its students. At least the students in the sciences have more funding, which gives them more of a cushion. I know of other grad students in the humanities with more funding options, but sadly I chose an utterly esoteric and useless field that I hold very dear to my heart!
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Snlee, thanks for your words of encouragement. Unfortunately this school is not known for being very responsive. It''s basically a juggernaut, impressive and fancy-schmancy, but not very reasonable. I''ll try my best to fight the system, but boy are they stubborn!

Can''t wait to go to Maine, I''m sure it''ll make me feel better! I hope everyone has a great weekend and that Jas and the twins are ok...
 
I did NOT log on today wanting to read that jackie''s in the hospital! DeeJay, thanks for the update -- make sure she knows we''re all rooting for those boys to stay put!! (((hugs)))

Q -- how''s that gorgeous baby doing?? Hope you are getting some rest :)

Snlee -- it was an evil evil sale at BRU... haha. They gave an additional 20% off clearance items, which means I came home with lots of cute baby clothes and such -- my mom spent a small fortune with me and the only big ticket item we got was my second carseat (full price) --- so it was a lot of fun, but not the kind of sale that you stock up on *necessary* items!

jen
 
Thanks ladies for your compliments. To be honest, I didn''t think she looks cute when I first saw her. Her eye areas were all puffy and she was wrinkly. hehe. But once I held her, it was different. Her little body is just so precious and adorable.

Here''s my birth story (I managed to make a short labor into a long story):

My labor at the hospital was a total of about 5 hrs, and I ended up having a vaginally birth with epidural, pitocin augmentation and episiotomy.

At 9:00pm, I had been getting painful contractions that were 4 – 5 mins apart for an hour. And DH decided that we should head to the hospital. We got my hospital bag and threw in the last minute things, and got to the hospital at around 9:30pm. We went to L&D, but there was no free/clean L&D room. The OB tech put me in a hospital gown, put me in a temporary bed, and hooked me up to the fetal HB and contraction monitors. Then the nurse did an internal, and I was 3 – 4 cm dilated. They admitted me, and got a L&D room cleaned for me. The nurse immediately hooked me up to an IV. I asked her why, and she said it’s procedural since I can’t eat from now on. She asked me how much pain I was feeling and if I wanted an epidural. I told her it wasn’t really painful yet, and I was planning not to get an epidural if I can tolerate the pain. So I was stuck in bed laboring. More contractions came and went. The contractions reading was 70 something, and I was still fine with the pain. Then a really strong contraction came on at around 11:30pm, the reading on the monitor was climbing up to 140. I was in so much pain that I couldn’t breath right and was just crying and moaning. I was still laughing and joking with DH before this contraction. Well not anymore. I told DH that I am going to get the epidural. DH was laughing at me, saying “and you thought you can take it.” I think he was trying to get me to laugh, but I was in too much pain to care or get mad. He went to get the nurse. When the anestitican came in, I was starting another contraction. So he waited until that stopped and put the catheter in pretty fast. Then he administered a test drug, and the pain went away almost immediately. After that, he set up the automatic pump for the drug. No more pain.

At 12 something am, my nurse decided to do another internal. I was 6 – 7 cm dilated. My OB came in right after that and did another internal to confirm the nurse’s reading. He said that I was more like 7 – 8 cm dilated and it’s more like 9 cm dilated during contraction. After that, My respond was “really. That was fast.” He said it’s pretty fast for the first pregnancy. My OB left to see his other patient. The nurse came back with pitocin. DH asked her why I need pitocin since I am already in labor. She said it was for augmentation to speed thing up. I never read anything on pitocin augmentation, so I didn’t know it was done and the reason why it was done. At that time, I just said ok.

At 1:15am, a new nurse came in and started getting thing ready for pushing. DH and I were joking and betting on what time Meena will make her appearance. I said 2:20am and he said 2:05am. At 1:30am, the new nurse said we were going to start pushing. So we did. I had no idea if I was pushing right since I could only feel very little bit of pressure. I had to go by what the nurse was telling me. In the beginning, she kept saying you have to push harder. I figured that mean I am not pushing right. When she says good, then I tried to duplicate that same push again. Finally she was crowning at around 1:55am (the nurse showed DH her hair), and we stopped to wait for my OB to come back to my room. A couple minutes after 2:00am, my OB was backing and we were pushing again. My OB told me that he is going to make a little snip. I didn’t want a episiotomy, but at this point, I didn’t care. At 2:26am, Meena was born.

My short hospital stay - We stayed at the hospital for 1 and ½ day after the birth. I chose to go home a day earlier. My OB came to check on me in the mornings. So the morning that we went home, he asked me how I was feeling and if I feel any pain. I told him that I was fine and that the only pains I was feeling was just from the stitching and uterus contractions. But they were more uncomfortable than painful. So he asked if I wanted to go home that day or stay for the one other day. I would have to go home by Friday no matter what. Since I am recovering fine, I just wanted us to be more comfortable at home. Poor DH was sleeping in a chair.

hospital bag - I didn’t use more than half of the stuffs I brought. It probably has a little bit to do with the fact that I didn’t stay very long at the hospital. Next time, I would either pack less or pack two bags (one for just essential and one for if I need a long stay).
 
I am glad that jas is doing well and her boys are staying in. DeeJay, please let her know that I am thinking of her, and tell her to hang in there.
 
Q, is it just me, or do you feel like they were pushing you around a little? It sounds like you weren't happy with what they were doing: strapping you into bed instead of letting you labor walking around, pitocin and the episiotomy, and that they were just trying to get you out of there because they were busy. That actually sounds horrible! Is it just the way you wrote it, or did it really feel the way you make it sound (I mean, like it was out of your control and they were bossing you around )? Even the fact that you had to STOP PUSHING?! Until the OB got back? Like, whaaaa? Is that normal?

That scares meeee! It sounds like a horrible experience. Or am I just projecting something that you didn't feel?
 
Maybe it''s the way I wrote it. But I knew the hospital wasn''t very pro-natural birth to begin with. I was going in there open minded, so it wasn''t like I make a birth plan that I wanted to follow strictly. I asked them for an explanation for everything that they were putting on/in me. So I could''ve said no to them. I didn''t have a horrible experience at all, and I sure didn''t want to make it sounds like one. The episiotomy thing I''ve talked to my OB about before hand, and he doesn''t rountinely do them. So I trust that he did it because it was needed. As far as the pitocin augmentation goes, I''ve never heard or researched about it. But at 9 cm dilated, I was comfortable with pitocin. I am sure I would''ve dilated to 10 cm with or without it, but at the same time I wasn''t worried about it increasing my chance of a c-section, which was my main concern with pitocin. In the beginning, I was unhappy with being strap down with the IV and monitor because I couldn''t walk to labor. But when I got that one really painful contraction, it didn''t matter to me at more because there was no way for me to walk that off.

I actually think my labor went very smoothly and I couldn''t ask for a better experience.
 
I''m so glad to hear that Q! Hurray!
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Indy -- sorry i forgot to answer you earlier -- I really like what i''ve read of the dr luke book and it seems that many of the ladies at twinstuff.com swear by it. My doctor actually is pretty laid back, so he hasn''t said anything about weight and has only commented on the sizes of the girls (great so far). I''ve heard many times though that early weight gain with twins is important since we don''t gain much in the third tri. Honestly I have not eaten as much during this pregnancy as I do regularly -- I feel as if i have no room (and when i did, i didn''t feel well enough to eat much!) I do not pig out on stupid stuff, most importantly! I think this is different for everyone and every pregnancy (i remember craving ice cream with boy#3 and i just could not get enough of it ever!). I really try to follow my body''s signals and I am confident that I will lose the weight afterwards. I will probably drink the "ensures" or "boosts" a bit farther along -- I like to eat occasional protein bars already and I think I can tolerate the drinks if it means bigger babies. It''s another one of those things that the twinstuff moms seem to swear by. I think that site has been my favorite resource so far just b/c there''s lots of women from different walks of life who have gone/are going through similar things. It''s nothing like a singleton pregnancy, that''s for sure! One more thing -- will you find out what genders you are having? Just curious
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Q - thanks for sharing your birth story! I''m impressed that you checked out of the hospital so fast and Meena came out so quickly! I hope you don''t regret the episiotomy too much (i experienced a 4th degree tear with my almost 10-pound son b/c he came out too fast for me to get the "snip" -- worst recovery of my 3! With #3 I had a small snip and I small tear -- much better
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) Hope you heal quickly and are enjoying your precious new addition
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jen
 
q, what a great birth story!! I''ve never heard of pitocin augmentation either but at 9 cm, who cares?! Sounds like you and Meena are doing great. Thanks for checking in so quickly!! Make sure you come over to the moms thread and let us know how things are going!

Dee, thanks for the update on Jackie. That girl''s sense of humor is going to be her savior!!! Please give her our best!
 
QT, thanks for sharing your birth story. I''m impressed you were only in labor 5 hours, Meena came out so quickly, and you checked out of the hospital early! I wish you a fast recovery but it sounds like you are a trooper and doing well. I hope you are enjoying your baby.
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Q--great story! I luv reading birth stories--so exciting. You are a trooper. You dilated SO fast. Just imagine how #2 will go
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Hope you heal up well and enjoy that beauty. Can''t wait to have u in the mommy thread!
I didn''t use half the stuff i pakced for the hospital either. Like you i was out really early (discharged 12 hrs later) but that is a good thing--isn''t it so much nicer to be at home!



Re: pitocin augmentation--in the documentary i justed watched they state that in many parts of the country 90% of births are augmented in some way (mostly pit.) from what i understand it is pressure from pharm. companies and it can be billed to insurance etc. Obviously Q was going to get to 10 cms on her own so i am sure it didn''t make much of a difference, but i find it very interesting that they wanted her to have it that late in the labor. Kinda pointless beyond the ''business'' side of it i would think.
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Rest up preggies...have a great weekend
 
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